Sylvester Stallone has opened up about the emotional weight behind his success, revealing that his biggest career triumph also carried deep personal pain. Reflecting on Rocky’s historic Oscar night in 1977, when the film won three Academy Awards including Best Picture the actor said the moment initially felt explosive and celebratory, but quickly turned hollow. Despite the achievement, Stallone recalled feeling crushed that his parents chose not to attend the ceremony, leaving him with a lingering sense that their approval would always remain out of reach.
Stallone also spoke candidly about his troubled childhood, explaining that after his parents divorced when he was 11, he lived with a father who was emotionally and physically abusive. He described growing up in fear and said the damage from those experiences never fully fades. According to the actor, children are deeply shaped by how they are treated, and wounds inflicted early in life can last forever even for someone perceived as tough and resilient.
Now 79, Stallone says traces of that pain still remain, despite decades of success and iconic roles. While continuing to portray hardened characters on screen and filming new seasons of Tulsa King, he recently received a Kennedy Center Honor an accolade he says still feels surreal. Grateful but humbled, Stallone admitted he never imagined being formally rewarded for work he loved doing anyway, calling the recognition both shocking and deeply meaningful.
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